Grains are a fundamental ingredient for snack and bakery products. They provide taste, texture, nutritional, and functional benefits. Consumers have a growing interest in wholesome plant-based foods and ingredients and according to the 2021 IFIC “Health and Food” survey, three of the top four nutrients people are trying to consume in their diet are proteins, fiber, and whole grains.  

• Whole grains offer unique combinations of nutrients and are a good source of fiber. When sprouted, those nutrients become more bioavailable and easier for the human body to process. Whole grains have a more beneficial glycemic index, which allows the human body to digest them more slowly. They may also be used by bakers to enrich the bread’s texture.
• Ancient grains may be soaked and used in dough to strengthen a bread’s gluten matrix, then added on top to add texture. They may also add toasted flavor notes and other nuances when baked into a bread, thereby contributing to a special sensory experience.

• Pseudo grains like amaranth and quinoa offer multiple benefits. Amaranth is rich in fiber, protein, antioxidants, and other nutrients, such as magnesium and calcium. Quinoa provides a broad range of nutritional benefits, such as being a source of protein, fiber, amino acids, manganese, and B vitamins, among other nutrients. With crunchy seeds like amaranth and quinoa, bakers may also enrich their breads’ texture, thereby giving bread lovers more ways to enjoy their favorite baked goods. Examples of other snack and bakery applications where amaranth can be used to enhance the nutritional value and texture include: breakfast bars, power bars, breads, puddings, and even falafel. Quinoa, which is actually a seed, is perfect for use in many diets, including gluten-free regimens.

Innovative grains
Vanessa Brovelli, senior manager R&D, Bay State Milling, Quincy, MA, says the company has seen demand for oats increase across the board, with the oat market growing globally at nearly 5 percent year over year. A relatively new product Bay State Milling’s SowNaked Oats are a unique, non-GMO variety of oats which naturally contain 40 percent more protein as compared with traditional oats. The product combines both the wholesome, heart healthy goodness of oats with the muscle-building power of protein. “The species of oats we grow is called Avena nuda (literally naked oats). It’s a unique cultivar that naturally sheds itself of the outer hull during harvest so there is no need for the dehulling process. Because SowNaked Oats naturally lack hulls, they can be processed more sustainably with significantly less energy—resulting in a 50 percent reduction in SowNaked Oat’s carbon footprint when compared to traditional oats.” The product imparts a distinctive nutty, slightly toasted, sweet flavor. The naked oats flakes and groats can used in a broad range of applications including bars, cereals, granola and clusters. Oat flour can be used in gluten-free baked goods such as muffins, cookies and griddle mixes.  The crop is grown in the U.S., mainly in Montana, under strict, gluten-free purity protocol standards.

Puratos has seen an increased interest in consumers looking for healthy, flavorful ways to incorporate more whole grain into their diet. To address this growing interest, the company recently launched Sapore Leo, a 100 percent liquid whole wheat, organic sourdough. “This latest innovation can be added to a wide range of breads, and its mild sour flavor helps bakers create amazing whole wheat breads without the bitter taste often associated with whole grain products. However to stand out on a shelf, healthy breads must also showcase that they support trending functionalities. For example, 72 percent of people are interested in food that improves gut health. As a 100 percent whole wheat sourdough, Sapore Leo helps achieve whole wheat and fiber claims associated with a happy and healthy gut,” explains Gleason.

After 20 years of research, Limagrain Ingredients is proud to introduce LifyWheat, a unique and pioneering wheat ingredient. LifyWheat is the result of “crossbreeding between the variety selected for its amylose-rich character and a complementary variety with agronomic and applicative functionalities which gives this wheat its health benefits. LifyWheat white flour contains 10 times more fiber than common white wheat flour, 25 percent fiber as compared to 2.5 percent in a standard wheat,” explains Anne Lionnet, business developer at Limagrain Ingredients, Weert, the Netherlands, in charge of LifyWheat’s European development. She goes on to highlight what makes LifyWheat so different:

• 80 percent of the fiber in LifyWheat is resistant starch. LifyWheat can easily increase and diversify fiber consumption. Its richness in resistant starch confers health benefits to the wheat.
• Resistant starch is naturally present in the wheat grain, it is not extracted and processed.
• LifyWheat flour can be used in a wide range of applications that fit into consumer daily diet: bread, pasta, biscuits, breakfast cereal. It can be incorporated as a partial or total replacement for the wheat flour or wheat grains without any major change in the process. This flour increases fiber intake without changing eating habits compared to a traditional white flour. It offers the same taste and the same white color as traditional flour with the ability to naturally enrich products with fiber.

Benexia, Santiago, Chile, recently relaunched its chai flour designed for baking applications, Benexia Xia Powder 435 LM. Remi Reguero, technical director, describes the nutritional and functional benefits, and which applications this newly relaunched ingredient is best suited for:

• Contains 56 percent fiber (10 percent soluble and 90 percent fermentable insoluble fiber) and zero available carbs.
• Contains 25 percent protein of high biological value and has a complete amino acid profile.
• Has 5 percent omega-3 ALA, is highly stable to the baking and extrusion process, and provides a great clean taste.
• Offers vital minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium.
• Is low in sodium and sugar.

Nutritional:

• It provides tremendous water absorption capability, improving ingredient binding due to its small standardized particle size.
• It can help formulators reduce or eliminate additives or undesired ingredients in a baking formulation and provide a cleaner label.
• The soluble fiber content, about 5.6 percent, allows it to absorb and bind water up to 9 times its weight and minimizes the water migration in the baking product It increases the softness of the product texture during a more extended period, increasing the product sensorial shelf life.

Functional:

• Breads: gluten-free, keto, artisan, whole grain, and seed.
• Baking: Excellent for tortillas, flatbreads, and wraps or even pancakes and crepes, especially for low-carb and gluten-free applications.
• Baked snacks: Excellent ingredient for cookies, muffins, cakes, sponge cakes.

Applications:

To overcome potential shortage on vital wheat gluten, Puratos offer Intens Tolerance for use in direct method and frozen dough. “This is an ingredient that strengthens dough and improves its tolerance by optimizing gluten development and strengthening the gluten network. This gives an improved and more consistent volume in the end product,” shares Gleason. Intens Tolerance can be used in a wide range of bakery products including: bagels, baguettes, ciabattas, flat bread, flour tortillas, hamburger buns, loaf breads, multi-grain wholemeal breads, pizza, pretzels, rolls, rye bread, soft rolls, toast bread, and yeast-raised doughnuts. SF&WB